


Make Ancient

by maydaykevin



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst, Canon Compliant, Father-Son Relationship, Gen, Kevin is trying his best, Mentions of past abuse, Missing Scene, all canon typical, kind of a character study maybe an introspection not really but kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-12
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2021-03-02 03:33:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,164
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23608396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maydaykevin/pseuds/maydaykevin
Summary: “Nathaniel had seen that look on his face only once before, when Wymack tried putting him back together after Christmas. It was the look of a man made ancient by his players' tragedies; it was the look of a man who'd have their backs no matter what it cost him.”Kevin talks to Wymack in Baltimore while Neil is being questioned.
Relationships: Kevin Day & David Wymack
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	Make Ancient

**Author's Note:**

> This is just a short little something I haven't been able to stop thinking about...

The rickety metal stairs didn’t seem fit to hold the weight of Kevin’s thoughts. 

Neil and Andrew had been gone for hours, their absence a gaping wound. It was wrong to have Neil with them again, only to be taken away so quickly. Kevin had to keep reminding himself they would come back, that the team would be in one piece at the end of this despite the pieces that had been cut. Not only cut, but decimated, destroyed.

He couldn’t stop seeing Neil’s face whenever he blinked. The ruined skin where his tattoo used to be, Kevin  _ felt  _ it, could imagine the raised skin and burning flesh easily enough. He didn’t think he had the strength to think of Riko’s reaction, not tonight at least, there would always be time for that. 

He almost missed the bottom step in his distraction, stumbling and grabbing the wall to steady himself. Kevin huffed, shaking his head like it would do anything to help. He figured Dan had sent him on the errand to get himself out of his own head. He’d barely moved from the corner, had been unable to, his bruised body not taking kindly to any sudden movements. Maybe after he found Wymack he would go for a run to keep himself moving, to keep himself from thinking.

_ Maybe this was how Neil always felt. _

He found Wymack near the pool. He was standing by the fence, smoking. Kevin barely smelt it anymore, too used to Andrew for it to assault his senses. He was tense, more than usual, his shoulders hunched, jaw clenched. He looked how the day felt, battered, but still upright.

Kevin stopped a few metres from him, “Coach?”

Wymack spun around in a flurry. He appeared genuinely flustered, dropping his cigarette in his haste. Kevin took no notice of it, too busy watching Wymack wipe his eyes and clear his throat. He did so like Kevin wouldn’t notice,  _ “Jesus, _ what Kevin?”

Kevin kept quiet, needing a second to take it all in. He was staring, given the narrowing of Wymack’s eyes and the impatience in his voice, “Yes, Kevin? What do you need?”

Kevin focused his attention on a plastic plant behind Wymack, and not his watery eyes, “Dan wants to talk to you, room 108.”

There was more silence, a semi roaring past on the road the only sound around them. Kevin became all too aware of a weight in his stomach, the one that told him he needed to say something. It was the same weight normal people didn’t need. They just knew what to do, what to say, nothing held them back. 

Kevin wasn’t graced with such sensitivity. He was either not born with it, or he’d had it beaten out of him a long time ago. The rest of them knew, they didn’t expect any sort of tact from him. But Wymack was different, Wymack deserved more from him, Kevin knew that. He tried to think of what Nicky would say, or Renee. They always knew what to say. 

It was uncomfortable, like a shirt two sizes too small, “Are you… okay?”

Wymack’s face twitched. He was just as uncomfortable, his words colder than perhaps intended, “What about any of this is okay?”

Kevin lowered his head, realising it would’ve been better to not say anything at all. He looked to the side, fingers digging into his left hand. The conversation was over, had never even started, and Kevin tried not to be relieved, “Room 108.”

Rocks scuffed Kevin’s shoes when he made an attempt to move, grinding akin to his teeth. Wymack cursed, the word lost when another semi drove past. Wymack stepped forward, Kevin noticing their shadows had intertwined on the concrete. “It’s been a long day.” It wasn’t quite an apology, but Kevin took it as one.

“It’s just…” Wymack sighed. He ran a calloused hand over his face, the fading light turning his wrinkles into harsh dark lines. He sighed again, “We could’ve lost him today, another one.”

Kevin could only blink. Wymack had to be talking about Seth, his death happening lifetimes ago in the grand scheme of their misfortune. Kevin bit his own tongue until it threatened to bleed, not wanting anything insensitive to slip from his mouth. The others wouldn’t have been granted the same effort, they knew his opinion. Kevin didn’t want Wymack to know his opinion, for once.

“I knew it would be bad, after what you said about his father,” Wymack kicked the ground, not looking Kevin in the eye. “But I don’t understand how he came out of that alive.”

Kevin said the only thing he could, “You’ve seen how resilient he is on the court.”

Wymack looked close to scolding him, he had that  _ this isn’t about Exy  _ look on his face, but thought better of it. Tired was a good word for the next ripple that flickered across his face, “I know I can’t shield you all from the shit of the world, but no matter what I do you all just keep getting buried under it.” 

Kevin hid his hands behind his back. He frowned, struggling again to find the words, “You help us, you do what you can.”

Wymack glanced up at the sky, a discernible look in his eyes. They were slightly less glassy, “You know I try not to get too attached, I told myself not to when I started all of this. Because of what could happen to any of you,” his lips rose a little, “I didn’t expect mobsters to be one of those things.” 

He opened his mouth, but Wymack shushed Kevin with a wave of his hand, “Don’t even think about it.”

“I wasn’t going to apologise.”

“I know you, Kevin, you were going to.”

Wymack’s eyes darted to Kevin’s tattoo. All the humour, despite how small it may have been, quickly dissolved. Unexpectedly, Wymack reached for Kevin’s face. He didn’t touch him. Wymack simply held a finger over the number, and Kevin had no idea what he was thinking. Wymack eventually pulled away, not saying a single word to ease Kevin’s mind.

“This isn’t going to happen again,” what exactly Wymack was referencing was up to interpretation, Kevin able to think of too many things off the top of his head.

“Coach-?”

_ “Hey!” _ Dan’s voice startled them both. She leaned precariously over the railing, Renee behind her for good measure, “What’s taking you so long?”

Wymack waved a hand high above his head, “Yeah, yeah, I’m coming.” 

He sent Kevin a weighted look before he sidestepped around him, leaving Kevin’s shadow by itself on the concrete. Kevin turned to watch him go, able to feel a headache forming by his temples. There were already enough emotions and thoughts to repress, Kevin unsure how he’d manage with this new onslaught.

Absently, Kevin allowed his finger to hover over his tattoo. 

He wondered, then wondered some more, before making his way back to room 106.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading!


End file.
